My Hero
by InsertACreativeNameHere
Summary: Modern SoulmateAU. As Astrid is about to find out herself, nothing goes as planned when Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is involved. Crossposted on Tumblr under slavicviking.
1. Misattributed

**Huge thanks to the wonderful** **residentmotherhen** **for proofreading!**

 **Desktop version highly advised!**

 **CHAPTER 1**

 **Misattributed**

"You'll do just fine, honey." 

Startled, Astrid Hofferson looks up from her notes, briefly catching sight of the person standing next to her. Her mother Ingrid looms over her and pushes the stack of crinkled papers away. They drag through a splatter of spilled milk causing the neat bullet points, meticulously written out with colorful markers, to smear in a few places. Astrid yanks the notes back towards her with a frown, shoving a spoonful of bland oatmeal into her mouth. 

"I need to pass this," she answers curtly with her mouth full, her focus on the sheets of paper and nothing else. The sad truth is, is that no matter how long she stares at those notes, reading them over and over again, she still doesn't fully understand them. The equations and different formulas are all mixing and jumbling together in her brain, not making it any easier for her. The preparations for the exam devoured all of her free time, leaving her hunched over the book for hours after hours each day, and even so she had woken up early today, the day, to try and cram any more information possible into her already-swirling mind. She tries to convince herself that it will be worth in the end – that all the hard work will pay off. It has to. 

Astrid doesn't fail. Simple as that. 

"You will." Ingrid squeezes her daughter's upper arm reassuringly, trying to take Astrid's mind off of the upcoming exam. The girl grumbles something unintelligible under her breath, forcing herself to take another spoonful of food. The older blonde sighs with a shake of her head, though a gentle smile lingers on her lips at her beloved daughter. 

"Good mornin'!" Sven Hofferson exclaims cheerfully as he walks into the spatial living room. He pecks his wife on the cheek, and then moves to ruffle his daughter's hair. Ignoring Astrid's protests as she immediately starts to fix her usual braid, he laughs quietly to himself and moves to the kitchen. 

"What would my angel like for breakfast?" he calls out to Ingrid. The notes instantly forgotten, Astrid turns her full attention to her parents. She loves watching the two of them. She is by no means a romantic, but there is just something striking and absolutely heart-warming about their every-day interactions. There is this easiness and obvious love for each other, one that many couples can only wish of. 

Astrid's nimble fingers move on their own as they weave in a small braid by her left ear before combining it with the rest of her usual hairdo. Sharp, blue eyes follow her mother as she heads to join her husband in the other room. Astrid can't help it when her gaze comes to rest on the beautiful set of wings upon her mother's back; it usually wanders there sooner or later. Pearly-white feathers shine in the warm rays of sunshine filtering into the room through the numerous windows. The wings bounce, open and fold up as her mother speaks. Astrid follows their movements with a careful, almost awed gaze. Ingrid shifts a little and her left wing hits the cupboard behind her, the expensive china dishes that no one ever uses shifting dangerously close to the edge. Astrid is about to jump up to try and rescue it when Ingrid notices it as well. 

"Oh," she backs away slightly and places the china further away from the edge of the shelf. Her eyes meet Astrid's briefly and she shoots her an apologetic smile, a nervous chuckle escaping her as she does so. "I sometimes forget they're even there. And then _this_ happens." 

Astrid leans back into her chair, her shoulders less tense as the danger passes. She musters a somewhat-strained smile that fades the moment Ingrid turns away. Astrid cannot fathom the idea that her mother forgets about the wings. At all. It must be her mother's modesty; otherwise it simply doesn't make sense. They are the gift of the gods themselves, they brought her parents together – it's not something you simply forget about. Her mother, by protecting Astrid's future father from that huge avalanche years ago, was given the privilege of knowing who her soulmate was, and, as opposed to most people, she can be absolutely sure about it. Astrid is well aware of how much importance the wings hold. She is sure her mother does as well. 

Back in middle school, right at the beginning of the year, her teacher had set an assignment. The students were asked to choose and present a person they admired the most, their role model. Eleven-year old Astrid hadn't thought twice before enthusiastically printing her mother's name on the top of the page. Words couldn't do justice to the respect and admiration she had, and has, for Ingrid Hofferson. She is her hero, the epitome of what she aspires to be when she grows up – then and now. 

Ingrid Hofferson doesn't have an imposing posture. Despite her lithe frame and small height, smaller even than her daughter's, the confidence and determination radiating from the energetic woman is impossible to miss. Astrid knows that if she ever has the honor of knowing who her soulmate is, gods bless her, she will be the one with the wings. Just like her mother, she is no damsel in distress, and she does not need a hero to save her, or the day. She is independent and strong-willed, and no one will be able to take that away from her. The unfortunate stereotype of the guy saving the girl is ridiculous – Astrid swears it will never be her. 

Ever. 

She can see herself rescuing her soulmate from a raging fire, or perhaps a sudden car crash. Fearless and determined, she would do whatever it took to protect him. And he would look back at her with his bright emerald eyes, shining with admiration for her. His hair would still be windswept after she had hurriedly rescued him, and she would- 

Astrid shakes her head abruptly, face heating up as she catches herself daydreaming and shoves the rest of her breakfast into her mouth. She skims through the notes once again, although her mind is involuntary miles away. Her phone buzzes impatiently in her pocket, but she ignores it. She doesn't have much time until she has to leave and whomever texted her can surely wait. Ten minutes later the blonde quickly tugs on her dark leather jacket and boots, pausing to give her Golden Retriever a quick belly rub, her own stomach tight with nerves. She has never failed an assignment or an exam before, and she hopes desperately that today's test will be no different. 

Somehow she knows this day is not going to be a good one. 

The bus ride passes in a blur as she unsuccessfully tries to relax. The ride is too loud and the people are too obnoxious, leaving her staring blankly out of the dirty window and wishing she were anywhere else instead. Her friends greet her once she finally reaches school but she responds absently, barely sparing them even a glance. Trudging through the masses of students, she arrives at her locker and pulls out her books almost mechanically. She grips her physics notes as if her life depended on it; and in her mind? They might as well. Her feet move on their own as she heads for the classroom. 

"Astrid!" She stops abruptly, all the equations and rules she had been desperately repeating jumbling into one big mess. She nearly slams into a girl two years her junior that she recognizes from volleyball practice and her cheeks redden in embarrassment. The girl scurries away without a word and Astrid turns around, scowl on her face and ready to give the person a piece of her mind for shouting out her name like that. 

The words die on her lips. 

It's _Hiccup_. Of course it's him. She should have recognized his voice. The lanky seventeen-year old is too busy muttering apologies as he tries to get to her to notice her less than happy face. Hiccup, graceful as always, tries desperately to maneuver through the crowd of people and it ends up looking like an awkward dance of sorts. Astrid feels some of her anger disappearing, her eyebrows slowly lowering and softening as she observes his struggle. He's determined, she'll give him that. 

"Astrid!" Hiccup exclaims as he finally reaches her, clearly proud of himself. She raises her eyebrow at him, hip cocked to the side and lips pursed, causing Hiccup's cheeks to turn unnaturally red. Astrid unintentionally notes how his freckles stand out more this way, adding some boyish, almost child-like, charm to his features. It's… captivating, in a way. "Hi Astrid, hey–" 

"Hiccup." She cuts him off immediately because she knows that, if she lets him ramble like that, he will never get to the point. "What do you want?" 

She realizes almost as the words leave her mouth that it came out rude and, even though she isn't usually one to care about being tactful, the way Hiccup's smile falls is enough to make her reconsider her approach. 

"I have a test in a few minutes," she adds quickly, trying to somehow justify her previous harshness. His face softens a little and he reaches to the back of his neck, his other hand ready to start flying in the air as it always does. 

"Right! Right… Sorry!" Just as predicted, his hand starts making animate, wild gestures as he speaks. His other hand joins in soon enough. "I-I just wanted to ask if you're still up for today? You didn't answer my text, the-the one I sent this morning, and… yeah, just… just wanted to make sure." 

"Of course." She smiles at his awkwardness, fixing the bag on her shoulder. Some part of her feels guilty for purposely ignoring his message, and she can't quite understand why. It's not like they have been friends for that long; they aren't that close. Something tugs at her heart and she sighs. 

It's cruel how easily people are misjudged. Hiccup had always been there, in the same middle school, the same high school, but they had never talked. To say she hadn't noticed him would be a straight-out lie. Because she had– just not in a favorable light. He was always late for classes, he never did his homework and, gods, don't even get her started on his sarcastic comments during class. He seemed to just… not care, and Astrid couldn't understand that (still can't, not really). She has always striven to be the best; and then there was Hiccup Haddock with his endless, sarcastic quips that no one asked for in the first place. 

At the beginning of last year, Gobber the Belch, a counselors at their high school, had created a club that touched upon Berk's Viking heritage and the mysterious legends that surround the small town. Astrid didn't think much of it at first, but one experimental visit has been enough to suck her in. Fate would have it that Hiccup join the club as well. She had begun to get to know him better despite her initial misgivings, and found a shy, awkward boy that quite successfully hid behind the sarcasm. Astrid admits that he can be considered… cute, even, with his wide, intelligent eyes and crooked smile. They are friends now, sort of, and she's glad. He's a fun person to have around for sure. 

(Ruffnut, Astrid and Hiccup's friend from the club, made the mistake to call it a crush once. A textbook that magically appeared out of nowhere and 'attacked' her stopped her teasing… for a whole five minutes.) 

As a member of the Hairy Hooligans (it was that or the "Awesome Viking Club," thank the Thorston twins for _that_ ), Astrid has taken upon herself to help with creating weekly posters that will encourage other students to join in. No one else had bothered with even posting a schedule, and she was certain that if more students actually knew about it, they would find it as interesting as she has. Surprisingly enough, Hiccup has offered his help and, as her week was busy enough as it is, she agreed, letting out a silent sigh of relief. She enjoys working with him, probably more than she cares to admit. 

"Meet me by the gym at three. Oh, and it would be great if you brought a computer. If not, we can use the one in the library." Astrid sends him her best winning smile, secretly enjoying the way Hiccup's face turns even redder. 

"Right, sure." He nods vigorously, his messy hair bobbing up and down as well. A traitorous part of her wants to reach and ruffle it playfully– it looks so soft! But that would be weird. She doesn't need him to think she's weird. "I'll bring my laptop." The bell announcing the last five minutes of the break causes him to jump in surprise. He smiles sheepishly. 

"I-I need to go. Good, uh, good luck. Not that you need it, but-" 

" _Thanks_ , Hiccup." She punches him on the shoulder lightly and smiles at his awkwardness. "See you at three, then." 

She turns towards her classroom, shaking her head at the absolute goofball that is Hiccup Haddock. She can't help the smile that lingers on her lips. It's almost silly how one short conversation can brighten her mood as much as it did. 

But the project and Hiccup will have to wait, as much as her mind would prefer to focus on them. Astrid reaches her classroom with a heavy sigh, knowing that the danger of failing for the first time in her life is looming precariously over her head. The second bell rings and she straightens her back. 

"It's now or never," she mutters under her breath and enters the classroom. Ruffnut Thorston is sitting at the end, as usual, a pen shoved between her teeth as she chews on it in boredom. Astrid takes the empty spot beside her, throwing the other girl a quick glance. Ruffnut smirks at her, wiggling her thin eyebrows, and Astrid is pretty sure that the female twin had seen her and Hiccup in the corridor. Resisting the urge to punch that smirk off her face, Astrid takes out her notes to look through them one last, desperate time. Her eyes flick from one equation to another in a rush, numbers and symbols mixing together. If she had only gotten ten more minutes– 

"Miss Hofferson!" Her head snaps upwards at the teacher's stern tone. "Please put everything that is not a pen back into your bag." 

With a frown on her face, she does as she is asked, intuitively knowing that this was not going to go well. 

Thor, just let her pass. 

* * *

It's already well past three when she finally spots Hiccup rushing towards her, a black laptop case slung over his shoulder. His cheeks are bright red from all the running and, probably, embarrassment. Astrid pulls herself away from one of the walls of their school's gym with a roll of her eyes. She shoves a book into her bag, glad that she thought of bringing it with her because gods bless the day when Hiccup actually comes on time. She's not even angry at him – it's just who he is, and she's come to accept that… kind of. 

It's oddly satisfying to see him flustered like this. 

"I'm –uh," Hiccups stops himself to catch a breath. He leans over heavily with his hands on his thighs, holding up a finger. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, everyone – the most unathletic guy Astrid had ever known. She bites her lip to stop the laugh that threatens to escape. He finally straightens himself, his face even more flushed than before. "I'm sorry." 

"You know, I kind of expected this to happen." She tries to sound angry, or at least irritated, but her mouth quirks upwards without her consent seeing him in this state. She folds her arms across her chest and looks away instead – he shouldn't be let off the hook right off the bat, after all. 

"I-" He straightens himself and takes a deep breath before continuing. "Fishlegs called me. He, uh, had some problems with the data, you know, for our science project. Did I tell you about it? I think I did…" He pauses for a second. Astrid observes him from the side, quirking her head in amusement. "Anyway, some of the calculations seem to be wrong, but it doesn't look like anything major – just a calibration issue. We will have to reposition the- wait, why am I telling you this?" 

"Because you're a huge dork?" Astrid proposes with a short laugh. Before Hiccup has a chance to retort, the blonde pulls him forward by the sleeve of his green shirt. "Come on, the poster won't make itself." 

"Right," he nods quickly, fixing the strap of the black laptop case that had begun to slide off his arm. "But I'm not a dork." 

"Mhmm." Astrid hums with a subtle roll of her eyes, letting go of the sleeve. She contemplates for a split second before colliding her fist with his shoulder. Hiccup stumbles awkwardly and his hand flies to cover the "wound." 

"What was that for? You already punched me today." He grimaces as he rubs his arm. 

"That's for being late. Again," she states with a smug smile. "And I didn't 'punch' you. It was a nudge at most." _Big baby_ , she adds in her mind, mentally rolling her eyes at his "hurt" expression. 

"Wha-? What's with all the violence?" Hiccup narrows his eyes at her with a small smile playing at his lips. Astrid snorts and crosses her arms over her chest. 

"It's not violence. It's communication." She shrugs, adding speed to her pace. Her smile widens as she hears him laugh. Reaching the huge red-brick building that was Berk's only functioning library, she pushes the heavy wooden doors open and lets herself in. The old librarian greets her with the usual grimace and suspicious squint, as if she were going to destroy all the old books at any second. She ignores him. Mildew was known for such behavior and she is not moved by it anymore. Even the black, almost bare wings on his back don't attract her attention any longer. No one knows exactly what happened; rumors say something about rejection – but she doesn't care. Mildew is a sad, bitter man that probably brought it upon himself. The doors open once again, and the old man's hateful gaze is redirected to the person who just entered. 

"Astrid?" Hiccup calls as he looks around the hall. "Where ar-" 

"Shhhhhhhhhh." The old librarian presses a bony finger to his thin lips and glares at the lanky boy. Astrid holds a hand to her mouth in order to prevent laughing at Hiccup's startled and very confused expression. His eyes wander around and he calms noticeably once he spots the blonde. The librarian observes the boy warily as he quickly walks over to rejoin Astrid. Hiccup's eyebrows lower as he looks at him, somehow sadder, softer, and Astrid doesn't really understand why. The old man moves his scruffy jaw a little before speaking up in a rough voice. "No talkin' in the library." 

Hiccup's green eyes widen without leaving the old man and he straightens himself. 

"Right. I'm so-" 

"Shhhhhhhhhhhh!" The librarian snaps again. Hiccup opens his mouth, but Astrid tugs him further into the depths of the musty library, not allowing him to anger the old man any more. She breezes through the rows of wooden bookshelves and finds her favorite spot. It's so far away from the entrance that no one will bother them, especially the old grump. Astrid falls into a chair with a thud, letting her bag slide to rest by her legs. Hiccup settles on the other side of a small, shabby table, letting out a somewhat-strained sigh. 

"Gods, I thought he was going to kill me right then and there." 

"He almost did, " Astrid responds with humor. Hiccup glares at her playfully in response and reaches to unpack his laptop. 

"Well, you know me." He opens the computer so that she can't see him properly but she just knows he has that smug grin stupidly plastered across his face. "I love living on the edge." 

He pushes the laptop between them so that they both have easy access to it, and Astrid rummages through her bag and pulls out some papers she prepared for the poster, throwing them onto the table. Looking up, she notices Hiccup staring at something behind her, a small frown on his face. 

"What?" she asks as she turns around. Another one of those overly-colorful and glitter-doused prom posters is stuck crudely on the wall, almost completely covering the information about the genre of the books on the shelves nearby. 

"The old man is gonna flip when he sees that." 

"They're everywhere," she responds with a scowl. 

"It's stupid," Hiccup says simply as he types in some information into his computer. 

"Everyone is going anyway. No need to shove it into our faces." Her notes are completely unorganized and she starts to fish for those that will be needed. 

"Not everyone." 

"You're… not going?" She looks up from her notes. For some reason this new piece of information doesn't sit well with her. "Why?" 

"Let me see – over-excited teenagers, most of whom I don't know, falsely happy teachers who wished they were anywhere but there, cliché, overplayed songs, and absolutely everything drowning in glitter." He pauses and nods at her. "Yeah, I think I'll pass." 

He does have a point, Astrid admits with some reluctance. 

"Well, I don't really have a choice," she sighs, focusing on her notes once again. "I'm the school's president – I have to go." 

He only hums in response, although Astrid can clearly see he wants to say something. Hiccup is never one to obey the rules, or fill the quota, and she can only imagine he's eager to disagree with her statement. They are both silent, working on their own parts of the small project, and each stealing a glance at the other when they think the other isn't looking. They don't last long before a conversation breaks out and Astrid is glad. She always appreciated this easiness with which the two of them usually interact, at least outside of school. 

That, and Hiccup can't keep his mouth shut for more than a few minutes. 

Soon enough they are talking and laughing so loudly that the librarian has to come (which in itself is a feat) and throw them out, all the time muttering about disturbing his precious silence and kids these days. Astrid can't help the snort that escapes her when she sees Hiccup mimicking him behind his back. She has a feeling neither she nor Hiccup will be visiting the library any time soon. 

She's still grinning like an idiot as they walk across the school's sport's field. Their shoulders bump into each other from time to time and she tries her best to ignore the warm feeling that passes through her body every time it happens. She blissfully ignores the other going-ons around them; some younger kids are playing volleyball on one side of the field and the other is occupied by the school's track team. It's loud but they can still hear each other clearly as they chat. Her eyes catch the watch on her wrist showing it's already nearly five o'clock and with a weird, tight feeling in her chest she realizes that she should be getting home. 

It all happens in a blur. 

"Astrid, look out!" Hiccup's nasal voice rings to her left and suddenly she is shoved against something soft and warm as she falls to the ground. Only seconds later she realizes that the soft thing was actually Hiccup, and it slowly dawns on her that they were somehow both lying on the ground, the lanky teen sprawled partly on top of her. Her cheeks flush with the realization. She's face to face with Hiccup who seems to be equally embarrassed, judging by the pink rapidly rising to his cheeks. A presumptuous "ooooooh, love on the battlefield" echoes from somewhere behind her, making her current predicament even worse. They both try their best to untangle themselves, and Astrid frowns at something blocking her view. She manages to prop herself up from behind just as Hiccup manages to clumsily stand. 

Her heart stops upon what she sees. 

Hiccup nearly falls backwards, new to the strange additional weight on his back. Astrid stares at them for a moment, unable to say anything. It can't be happening, it's not possible. As she silently gawks at the pearly-white set of wings resting upon Hiccup's back, the question of "how" rings in her head over and over again. 

A weak "no" is the only thing that leaves her mouth. 

**TBC**

 **Till next time!**

 **~InsertACreativeNameHere**


	2. Misunderstood

**Thanks to the amazing** **residentmotherhen** **for proofreading!**

 **Desktop version highly recommended!**

 **CHAPTER 2**

 **Misunderstood**

 _The gods hate me._

It's the first thing that crosses Hiccup's mind as he stares at the blonde wingless beauty on the ground. Admittedly, he has imagined how it would be to know who his soulmate is, most people do at least once in their lives. But as opposed to most people, it never had been his priority. It always seemed like something that could happen to someone else; maybe Astrid, or Fishlegs, but not him. The idea of the gods dictating who he should love had always felt somewhat dictatorial and cruel to him. He wasn't sure he even believed in the wings. They're... silly, and almost fake in their own perfection. Now, it seems, he doesn't have much of a choice anymore. 

His eyes flicker to the blue and white volleyball that lies on the grass, the one that almost nailed Astrid in the head, before turning slowly back to the girl in question. His shaking hand reaches behind him, and he almost has a heart attack when his fingertips meet the soft feathers that coat his, _his_ , wings. 

He expects to wake up any moment now. 

"No." The weak sound gains his attention and his focus is immediately on Astrid once more. The girl looks completely shocked – he can't really blame her for that as he isn't coping with it much better – but there is just something about it that makes his heart sink. She looks confused. She looks scared. She looks… 

She looks disappointed. 

Hiccup swallows slowly, trying to push aside the unwanted thoughts that rush to assault him. Hesitantly, he holds out a hand to help her stand, but she eyes it almost angrily and he backs away again, redirecting his gaze onto the ground. From the corner of his eye he can see her standing up shakily and dusting off her leather skirt. His fingers move a little, dancing around the idea of trying to help her again. He fears she's going to crack any moment. Or rip off his head. 

"No." She keeps mumbling under her breath again and again, one of her hands traveling to the end of her braid and gripping it almost desperately, and he is pretty sure that he is not meant to hear what she's saying. She doesn't even seem conscious of the fact that she's saying anything at all. The lost look in her eyes betrays her; he is pretty sure his emotions are on full-display as well. It's a mess; they are a mess. Astrid's words sting him painfully, cutting right through him like a knife. "Not him, not-" 

Someone coughs and Hiccup is suddenly flooded with the realization that they are not alone. In fact, a large number of people has gathered around them, curious about what happened. Anger fills his body because what is it to them, anyway? He wants to scream, yell, but no sound leaves him. 

Astrid seems to have realized the same thing just a second later because she looks around, her fists clenched tightly by her sides. The released braid whips the side of her face and slides over her shoulder. Some people have the decency to actually look away, but most keep gawking at the unusual scene. Astrid's crystal blue eyes catch the ball on the side and she glares at it as if it were her greatest enemy. It might as well be. 

"A-Astrid…" he manages to utter, finding some of his voice again. He immediately regrets it when her gaze snaps to him with this… with this look he can't really understand. She's not happy, it takes no genius to understand that. She backs away one step, two… Astrid looks completely out of place and his heart goes out to her; he wants to embrace her, to make her laugh like she was just a moment ago, he wants… He doesn't know what he wants. 

"I-I," her voice wavers as she looks around again. Her hands swats her short, uneven fringe away only for it to fall back into place a second later. "I n-need to go." 

And then she does. Just like that. 

He stares after her retreating form growing rapidly smaller, his lips parted as if to say something back. An awkward cough and a snicker follow Astrid's "escape," but he barely hears it. His ears are clogged and a feeling of numbness washes over him. Cold air hits his now-bare back, shredded scraps of shirt dangling in the wind by his sides. It's… it's embarrassing. Without a word, he turns and starts walking away, awkwardly swaying to the sides, completely unaccustomed to the new weight. He doesn't have any idea where he's going – he just knows he needs to leave. 

* * *

He hates them. 

No, he absolutely _despises_ them. 

They weigh him down and make him even clumsier than he already was. Every time he passes by a mirror, there they are, staring at him, reminding him that he has been, in fact, rejected. By Astrid Hofferson nonetheless. 

Which makes it hurt all the more. 

Astrid has always been present in his life, whether or not she's known it. She has always been the star of the class, and, willingly or not, has always been a person to gain attention. For a long time he thought she was just another stereotypical "popular girl," or at least wanted to believe that. It's much easier to fall out of a stupid crush if the girl turns out to be less perfect than she seemed at first. But thanks to the Hairy Hooligans (bless Gobber for creating it in the first place,) he actually had gotten a chance to know her. To be her friend even, sort of. 

Astrid was different than he had expected. She's violent, brash, and untactful; she hates boys clinging to her and she is probably stronger than any other member of their club, Gobber included. She's not perfect, but he found himself falling for her even more, making him act like a love-sick puppy in her presence more often than he cares to admit. (A fact that is regularly pointed out to him by Tuffnut and his own dear cousin Snotlout.) He was so glad that they were kind-of-friends, as it was so much more than he had ever hoped for. Now, though, everything is ruined. And he can't help but feel that it is his fault. 

A gnawing feeling in his chest makes him restless. He knows how much Astrid values the wings and he can't help but fear… What if-what if Astrid changes? What if she feels entitled to be with him, just because the wings tell her so? He can't imagine her doing that, but the wings are surely able to mess up anyone's life. He doesn't want Astrid to look at him any differently because of them, or feel forced to fake being obnoxiously in love for the sake of the two abominations sticking out of his back. 

Hiccup winces as the wings bang into one of the walls in the kitchen, almost knocking off his late mother's photo. Gripping the countertop, he pursues his lips, breathing in sharply. His eyes catch the reflection of the damned things in the glass-covered kitchen shelves, and he looks away in disgust. He bites his lip, expression hard. He could… he could rip them off. Pretend it never happened. He's sure getting rid of the wings would, in the end, be less painful than having to face Astrid ever again. He snorts. Maybe she will help him tear them off his back if he promises to never mention the whole thing. He groans, cradling his head in his hands. 

Gods… 

"Auugh!" he yelps, letting out a high-pitched shriek (a very manly one, mind you,) as something soft brushes against his leg. His eyes shoot open and his head jerks down to see a black cat with glowing green eyes staring up at him, judging him silently. 

"What?" Hiccup snaps, and Toothless, named so after the teen had discovered the cat was missing most of his back teeth, narrows his eyes. Swiftly, the black feline jumps onto the countertop. Hiccup swears the cat knows exactly what is going on and what the whole wing-thing means. He flinches under the animal's piercing stare, as ridiculous as it sounds. "Don't look at me like that." 

Toothless keeps eying his owner knowingly and Hiccup frowns, his eyes meeting the cat's in a short-lived staring contest. A loud ring makes him look away, however. A hand travels to his hair absently and the boy walks reluctantly over to his phone to read the message. He fears it's someone from school, asking about… about what... happened, the day before. He lets out a sigh of relief when it turns out it's just his father, letting him know that he's not arriving back until tomorrow evening. This buys him some precious time. The last thing he needs right now is his overbearing father asking him all the wrong questions and wanting to know _everything_. 

Especially since there is _nothing_ to say. 

The clock on his phone reads eight o'clock. He should be at school already but he can't bring himself to go there today. Because school means Astrid and pretending everything is alright when it most definitely is not. Even if she were absent, which is quite possible, he would have to face everyone who had seen the whole thing. He is pretty sure that news like this will be spreading frighteningly quickly, and it would not be long before everyone in school, including the teachers, hears about it. The thought makes his stomach twist in the most uncomfortable way. He is fine with being teased and laughed, at as long as they leave Astrid alone. That's not going to happen, though, and he knows they will not let her live this down. At least not anytime soon. 

Hiccup shoves the phone into his pocket and returns to Toothless who was sitting patiently, waiting for the boy to return. Hiccup leans on the countertop and pets the cat gently, letting out a sigh. A quiet purr leaves him a little more relaxed, and his muscles feel less tense. He is aware he will have to face Astrid and the issue of the wings sooner rather than later and he knows that it's going to be far from easy. He starts to wonder whether it's possible that the gods have made a mistake. The idea of Astrid actually returning his feelings seems too preposterous to be true. 

"What am I going to do, Toothless?" 

A loud "meow" as an answer doesn't help him much. Go figure. 

Despite that, Hiccup wakes up with new-found determination the next day. He pulls a crudely-shaped shirt on, one that can fit the wings, formulating the master plan of "how to approach his supposed soulmate without dying or making her run away (again.)" His dad had bought some "wing-shirts," as he likes to call them, some time ago "just in case" and Hiccup had been furious. Now he is glad for his father's preemptive thinking because it's that or going around shirtless. And that would be bad for everyone. 

By the time he leaves the house, he is pretty sure his plan might actually work. Toothless eyes him suspiciously the whole morning, not understanding his owner's overly cheery attitude when just a few hours ago he had been moping around. Even Hiccup is surprised with himself, to be honest. 

The realization of what he is actually about to do fully hits him five minutes away from school, with the red-brick building already in sight. He comes to an abrupt halt, his feet digging themselves into the muddy ground as he hears his name tittered behind him, followed by a short laugh. A couple saunters pass, gawking at him–or rather what is on his back–the whole time, and he just knows everyone has heard about "the incident" by now. His eyes fall and his heart stops. His reflection stares back at him from a shallow puddle before him, the putrid rainwater showing him also the wings. Avoiding mirrors like the plague for the last two days was a mistake, he realizes that now. Even in the filthy water he can see that they don't look the way they should. 

He has seen other people's wings. Ingrid Hofferson, an embodiment of the perfection entitled with the wings, is someone he can admire. Hers are truly breath-taking, and it's exactly that image that makes people want to have them themselves. But then there's Mildew. He scares him. Maybe because the old man is a living and breathing proof that not everyone lives happily ever after. That the wings don't necessarily have to "work." Or maybe because with the recent events, Hiccup sees himself ending up like this, alone and bitter. He doesn't know the story behind Mildew's wings, and a big part of him never wants to find out. Whenever he looks at the old man's dark, dead feathers, a shiver travels down his spine. 

Now, as his green eyes study his own reflection, his heart freezes. Hiccup's breathing goes shallow when he sees the feathers, the image of Mildew's quickly flashing before his eyes. He tries desperately to suck in some air. They look worn-out, ready to fall off, even. Almost automatically, his hand reaches to run through the left wing, and he is terrified as a feather comes away in his hand. It isn't painful as far as physical pain goes, but it leaves him feeling empty. A lump forms in his throat. The feather that fell is not pearly-white, not even close. The light middle turns grey-ish by the edges, looking dead, or at least sick. They're rough to the touch, prickling the skin like dry grass or sand paper. 

Gripping the single feather in his hand like a talisman of sorts, he stands unmoving. Groups of Berk High students pass him by, glancing at him either in confusion or with a teasing glint in their eyes. Finally, his feet start moving again- but they take a new path. He turns to the side and breaks from the masses moving towards the building in the distance, adding more speed to his pace. Mrs. Roberts, the chemistry teacher, heading towards her first class with coffee in hand spots him but doesn't say a word, only following him with her eyes. He can sense the pity. All the glances and murmurs along the way make him walk faster and by the time he reaches a small building at the back of the school he's almost running. 

"Gobber?" Hiccup calls timidly as he opens the doors of the shop, the only place he knows will not be swarmed with students right now. He growls when the wings get stuck in the doorframe. Again. Ripping them off sounds like a better idea with each passing minute. 

"I'm 'ere!" the Scott yells from the backroom. "Aren't ya supposed tah be in school?" Gobber walks out of the small room on the back, cleaning his one remaining hand with a rag not much cleaner than the filthy hand he was trying to clean. The man stops in his tracks the second he sees his godson; his winged godson. 

"Hiccup…" the mechanic grins. "Congr-" 

"Don't." Hiccup shakes his head weakly. As he walks into the light, Gobber is finally able to see the color of those wings and his smile fades. He knows just as well as Hiccup does that they look anything but fine. The boy hugs himself, his gaze solemnly on the ground. "I was wondering… Can I stay here for today?" 

"I – uh. I suppose ye can," the older man responds, sounding puzzled. He scratches his bare chin as he looks at the teen, his best friend's son. He has never seen him so… resigned. Defeated. Hiccup was always cheerful, determined – so much like his late mother. Gobber lays a gentle hand on the lad's shoulder, causing him to jump in surprise. 

"What 'appened, lad?" Hiccup shakes off Gobber's hand angrily. 

"As if you don't know already." 

"I 'eard some rumors…." The older man frowns as he studies the teen. "I 'ad no idea it was yue." 

"Well, now you know," comes the defeated response. Hiccup plops onto the only chair in the shop, leaning heavily on the old desk to his right. His hand goes to prop his cheek. The wings are sticking awkwardly out, jammed against the back of the chair and causing him to curl in on himself. Gobber starts to gather some papers strewn randomly across the shop and pile them together to the side. It's painfully clear he's trying to find a distraction while he sneaks glances at the younger Berkian; Gobber does not keep things organized… ever. A sudden thought crosses Hiccup's mind and he tries to straighten himself as much as he can with the wings limiting his movements. 

"Has… Have you seen Astrid?" His voice comes out more high-pitched than he wants it to, cracking embarrassingly by the end of the sentence. Gobber reacts all too quickly, throwing the papers aside and blowing his cover at the same time. 

"I 'aven't seen 'er." The man's eyes flicker to the dull feathers. "Perhaps she'll come today." 

He doesn't believe that; Hiccup knows that, and Gobber knows that, too. He limps closer to the boy and pats him on the shoulder. 

"Ye need ta' talk with 'er, laddie." 

"I know," Hiccup mumbles barely audibly. He swallows slowly, his mind drifting to the blonde girl for the umpteenth time in the last two days. He sinks into his chair. "I know." 

* * *

Astrid lies in her bed, staring at the ceiling absently. 

Recently, she's spent so much time doing just exactly that, that she knows every crack and every stain on it by heart. She can hear her mother stopping by her door for the fifth time today, trying to lure her out of the room with soft words and bribes in the form of her favorite food, and yet again Astrid tunes her out. Her fists grip the quilt tightly. 

She is Astrid goddamn Fearless Hofferson. 

She is scared shitless. 

Every time she closes her eyes, the only thing she sees is Hiccup, poor Hiccup, watching her all confused and scared. And the wings – the wings that she always thought she deserved – are far more beautiful than she ever imagined them to be. But they are on Hiccup's back and not hers. It bothers her, leaving her furious and bitter, at first. She is strong, she is independent – she deserves them. The fact that he had to "save" her from a volleyball of all things leaves more than a bad taste in her mouth. But as hours pass, she starts to realize that it's not for her to decide, and it never was. She recalls Hiccup looking just as miserable as she felt after the wings appeared on his back. 

And she left him there, completely alone. 

Shame creeps up on her. This isn't the way a Hofferson deals with things – they face problems head first and with steely determination. Yet something broke in her in that moment. Perhaps it was because it came completely out of blue. One second they were walking together, laughing, and the next… She tenses. She and Hiccup are friends, _just friends_. He is kind and thoughtful and caring and his jokes almost always make her laugh. She admits that his company is nice and welcome. He always manages to brighten her mood, often simply by just being there. But she has never thought of him that way, she insists. She doesn't like him… does she? 

Yes. 

No. 

_Maybe_. 

Astrid presses her face into the pillow again, letting out another frustrated groan. She wants to take back everything she's ever said about the wings – her life has been perfectly fine without them. She knows she will have to face Hiccup and his damned wings soon, and a part of her wants to do this now, right at this exact moment. To just burst out of her house, find him, and… and then what? 

They should talk. They have to talk. 

The problem is that Astrid isn't one to talk; she's not good with words, and never has been. She can't force the problem to go away with her actions alone this time, and she comes back once again to her starting point with nothing new or more helpful. She wonders if Hiccup is having similar thoughts and whether he feels just as confused and as lost as she. She curses herself because her mind for the umpteenth time drifts over to him. It seems that no matter what she does, or thinks about, it always does at some point. 

It's infuriating, Hiccup is infuriating. 

Her phone rings, catching her completely off-guard. She doesn't even glance at it – it's probably one of her friends asking her about what happened. She is fully aware the whole school must know at this point. The phone doesn't shut up and keeps repeating the annoying melody over and over again. 

She finally reaches for it and numerous messages from various people pop up in her notifications. She mindlessly scrolls through them and her eyes catch the words "Hiccup" and "wings" multiple times. She grips the phone tightly, feeling new wave of anger blossoming in her chest. 

When a loud "ding" signals yet another message, Astrid decides it's the last straw. 

* * *

As she pushes open the heavy front doors of her high school the next day, she finds herself in a completely different world. The silence of her own room is replaced by a chaotic medley, the assault of noise forming an incomprehensible pulp. A part of her instantly regrets leaving her home, but she is fully aware she has to face her problems. 

The people around her don't notice her at first but soon enough she is swarmed with other students obnoxiously peppering her with questions regarding her "mysterious absence." (It's so obvious they know exactly what happened, and it makes it all the more enraging.) She's annoyed but it's nothing compared to the anger that floods her body when her eyes catch two kids gluing on another one of those obnoxious prom posters. She doesn't allow her mind to drift into dangerous territory, not letting herself recall her last conversation she had held about the said prom. With clenched fists, she strides their way. 

"What are you doing?" The two boys' heads snap towards her, confusion clear on their young faces. 

"Putting up the posters?" one of them, a brown-haired junior, responds uncertainly, finishing off the last corner of the poster. 

"Don't you think there are enough of them already?" Her tone is harsher and meaner than she expects it to come out and the two boys exchange glances warily. 

"But they told us…" The other of the two, clearly a freshman, starts to explain but his cracking voice fades into the background for her as a too-familiar mop of auburn hair appears in the crowd of students in the corridor. Her feet move on their own before she registers it, leaving the two boys standing there even more confused. 

"Hiccup," Astrid murmurs quietly, and people gift her with weird looks as she elbows her way towards the tall teen. The wings are seemingly impossible to miss in the masses, and she is, for once, glad for that – at least she knows where he is. 

"Hiccup!" His back stiffens and his eyes land on her, growing wide. Her own heart does a weird flip in her chest when he looks at her. Without her consent, her eyes drift to his wings and, suddenly breathless, she notices the gray color, the sick look they have. Words die on her lips, everything that she wanted to say completely forgotten. Hiccup shuts his locker, before taking a few hesitant steps back. Astrid's throat is too dry to speak, so she stands there and stares at the faded color of the feathers idiotically. 

And then he's gone. 

Before she has a chance to react, he has already left, by some miracle losing himself among the throng of students even despite the wings. The situation seems all too familiar, but different entirely at the same time, and she doesn't know what to do. The image of his wings plagues her mind, leaving her restless. 

It's her fault. 

Now, she is going to fix it. 

**TBC.**

 **A/N:**

 **I was really surprised at the feedback this story received. Thank you!**

 **Guest reviews:**

 **Guest:** _Thank you! I'm really glad you like it and that you found this chapter interesting as well._

 **Till next time!**

 **~InsertACreativeNameHere**


	3. Misapprehended

**Long time, no chapter, heh. It's finally here, though!**

 **Quick update:**

 **two chapters have been rehearsed and updated.**

 **three-parter turned into a four-parter, so there's still one more chapter left after this one.**

 **Huuuge thanks to the amazing residentmotherhen for proofreading!  
**

 **CHAPTER 3**

 **Misapprehended**

"You look like crap." 

Hiccup grudgingly looks up to see Ruffnut Thorston leaning lazily over his desk, her nose scrunched up and a pencil shoved carelessly in her mouth. He cringes inwardly and automatically leans away a little as she removes it, all slobbered and dirty, to jab it his way to emphasize her point. 

"Thanks," he mumbles, eying it from a safe distance. "You know just how to cheer a guy up." She narrows her eyes at his obvious sarcasm, placing the pencil back into her mouth where it apparently belonged. Something about this glare is too _Astrid_ for Hiccup. He ignores the cold feeling running up his spine and buries his face into his folded arms, sprawled across the whole desk and trying to not think for a moment. Gods know he needs it; at least he wants to believe so. 

The gods have made some questionable choices recently. 

"Get over yourself, Haddock." Ruff's muffled voice reaches him. He can hear her shuffling as she turns back towards the board, and Mulch, the history teacher, explaining something in the distance. There's something painfully truthful in what the female twin says. He's not quite there yet, though. 

He is grateful when Ruff and her half-eaten pencil leave him alone for the rest of the lesson. 

The bell rings, abruptly ending the lesson and taking Hiccup by surprise. He waits tiredly for everyone to leave the classroom - including Ruffnut who eyes him creepily the whole way out - before pushing himself up from his seat. Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, he heads slowly for the door. Loud, faceless masses ready to stare at him and laugh behind his back await behind it, and for some _odd_ reason it doesn't sound very appealing to him. He knows Astrid is in school today. He had seen her by the lockers but he had purposely turned the other way before she could notice him. He can't shake off the embarrassment of running away from her the day before. He keeps telling himself that, when Astrid does spot him again, he will not run and actually behave like a normal human being should. He scowls. Something tells him he is too much of a coward to actually face her. 

He pauses. Could he even be considered that, though? A normal human being? His life had been suddenly, drastically changed without his permission, and he knew deep down that there was no way to go back. Gods only knew what he was supposed to do with this, this curse. 

"Hiccup," a man's friendly friendly voice startles him out of his thoughts, his hand still hovering over the door. Mulch is standing by the teacher's desk. He looks up from the class register and readjusts the worn-out hat perched upon his head. "Are ye okay, laddie?" 

The simple question, heard way too often these past few days, makes Hiccup's eye twitch. He is aware that the teacher wants to be what, in his mind, should be considered helpful, but after what has happened this kind of attention is not wanted in the least. 

"Better than ever," Hiccup cannot help the sarcasm that escapes him. He instantly regrets the words that so easily slipped off his tongue. Mulch, one of the most gentle and laid-back teachers in Berk High, doesn't deserve the harsh tone and he should not pay for what Hiccup has messed up himself. His brows soften as his hand travels to his neck, a familiar habit. "I'm sorry. It's… I'm fine." 

Mulch remains silent and Hiccup's eyes fall downwards, refusing to face the shorter man. His hand drops from his neck and entertains itself with one of the overly-long and slightly chewed-on laces of his sweatshirt. His head jerks up when he feels a warm, strong hand clamped on his shoulder. 

"It's alright, lad." He can hear pity in the man's voice and some of the anger resurfaces. He bites the inside of his cheek to stop himself from blurting out anything rude and harsh again, because it's anything _but_ alright. Suddenly the corridor full of people that don't really know him sounds much more appealing than this conversation - if it can even be called that. When Hiccup doesn't answer, Mulch slowly removes his hand from the lad's tense shoulder and takes a few steps back, for which Hiccup is glad. His feet move slightly, inching towards the door, his hand itching to turn the knob and leave the room. Immediately. 

"Ye can go," Mulch nods towards the door. The man's hat slips from his head again, and he reaches to fix it, shooting the teen a quick smile. "Just try to pay attention on the next lesson, aye?" 

Hiccup feels his head bobbing up and down almost on its own and no more than a second later he is already navigating the busy corridor, letting out a silent breath of relief. His heartbeat picks up notably when he spots a flash of blonde hair among the masses. He is ready to turn coward again and flee but quickly realizes that it's not Astrid, not even close. The girl has a different structure and is much shorter than her, with her hair all over the place. She is pretty, he can't deny, but she's not Astrid. He kicks himself mentally – Astrid is not the only blonde girl in their school and if he keeps freaking out every time he sees one, he might as well not leave the house at all– although it sounds far less stressful that way anyway. The other students ignore him or don't fully notice him as he speeds to his locker. Someone bumps into him and his wings from time to time as he rummages haphazardly through the mess in his locker, trying to find the books he needs. It's when he slams closed the dented, rusting metal door that his eyes catch her. 

Astrid is standing by her own locker, a few meters away from him, turned to the side, and leaning partly against the wall. She looks all too casual and nonchalant as she talks to Fishlegs Ingerman. The husky blond spots Hiccup almost instantly and whispers something to her excitedly. Hiccup's heart lurches in his throat and the books in his hands are suddenly far too heavy, falling to the ground with a _bang_ and creating a huge ruckus in the hallway. Everyone turns to him but they're only a blur as he dives in to collect his things as quickly as possible. Someone leans down to help him and he shoots upwards, hugging the books to his chest protectively. Astrid, as it turns out, silently hands him one of the notebooks and he snatches it from her, perhaps too harshly. Her eyes land on the gray wings on his back and he panics. 

"Thanks. I- M-math," he stutters out and her beautiful eyes turn to him. She opens her mouth to say something, but he cuts her off, fully aware of the people gathered around them. Hiccup had promised himself he wouldn't embarrass her again after what happened yesterday, but his mind goes completely blank when he looks at her. Words clash together in his head, unable to form a proper sentence. So, he blurts out the first thing that slips on his tongue. "So, uhh, I– Bye." 

Not a good idea. 

Hiccup's shoulders slump as he dashes away, his feet tripping over themselves as he miserably tries to reach the next class in a rush. His heartbeat is furious and deafening, and he can't hear anything beside it. Somewhere in the distance, almost as if in a different world completely, he hears laughter. It's all so muffled and squashed together though that he can't tell the real from the imagined. He does not dare to look back – that would mean seeing Astrid, standing alone in the middle of the corridor after she had helped him. She had helped him. Gods… He is an idiot, a complete muttonhead, and he promises himself (he means it this time, he really does,) that the next time he sees Astrid, he will talk to her, and everything will be fine, just as it had been before it happened. It had to be. 

Next time; next time for sure. 

* * *

"What the hell, Hofferson?!" 

"That's for laughing at him." Astrid releases the guy from her murderous grip but not before elbowing him in the gut again just to further prove her point. Dogsbreath wails in pain, behaving like a spoiled brat that he is, and somehow she feels slightly better _. No one_ laughs at Hiccup. And she means it. He may have left her in the middle of the corridor, embarrassed her in front of the entire school, hurt her more than she cares to admit, but she stands by what she said. 

Astrid can feel the stares coming her way from every direction. It's not the positive kind of attention she is used to, and it throws her off at first. She regains her composure quickly enough and with a glare of her own, marches towards her next class. She holds her head high. No one dares to laugh at her, or even snicker. It lifts her spirits a little, even despite the gnawing feeling in her chest. 

She doesn't dare to call out to Hiccup when she sees him during one of the breaks. She tried once, twice; it's not going to work. He's… He's ignoring her. A new approach is what she needs but it's more problematic than she first anticipated. Fishlegs had proposed going to his house to "corner" him but the idea of coming face to face with Hiccup's gigantic father is not very appealing to her. She doubts Hiccup would be enthusiastic about it, either. 

"You're both hopeless. You know that right?" Ruffnut Thorston catches up to her just as she is about to enter her next class. Astrid turns to face her, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. Tuffnut, tagging alongside his sister, watches the two girls somewhat warily, not sure yet whether he wants to be a part of the present conversation. 

" _Excuse_ me?" 

"Like, make up already." The female twin ignores Astrid's eyes narrowing dangerously, smirking instead. Tuffnut lets out a chuckle but a glare from Astrid is enough to shut him up. Ruffnut however, continues unfazed. "Or make out. Either is good at this point." 

"Wh- Well I-I-" Astrid is completely caught off guard, left somewhere between shocked and livid. She blinks, trying to stop the blush from flooding her face. It's the last thing she needs right now. Ruffnut only grins mischievously in response, quite proud of the fact she managed to turn Astrid Hofferson speechless. 

"Sis, I think you broke her," the male twin leans to his left and whispers loudly to his sister. Astrid growls at them, shaking with anger. 

" _This_ ," she violently gestures to herself and the vague space around her. She ignores the little voice at the back of her head, pressing on the fact she has already started taking up some of Hiccup's habits. "Is none of your business." 

She turns on her heel, not bothering to wait for either of them. She can hear Tuffnut saying something but her ears only catch "Hiccup" and her own name shortly after. That's enough for her to not regret leaving without hearing their response. 

The next class passes in a blur, and the rest of the day as well. She doesn't feel like a part of the lessons she is attending, she's just… there. Might as well not be and it wouldn't change a thing. Her mind drifts to Hiccup and what happened in the corridor. Her heart feels heavy as she recalls the events in her head again, and again. She knows she needs to do something about it – it simply can't go on. 

Her eyes widen when she sees the familiar mop of auburn hair and a pair of wings through the window during her last period. Hiccup, head bowed and shoulders slouched, walks precariously across the football field, each step slow and hesitant. Astrid spreads her palms on the desk and leans forward. Why wasn't he in class? Had something happened? As her soulmate disappears around the corner, she suddenly realizes she is hovering over the chair, her class staring at her with judgment clear in their eyes. 

"Miss Hofferson!" The tall woman at the blackboard tilts her head and furrows her brow as she studies her student. She takes off her glasses and points them towards Astrid's chair. "Would you be so kind as to sit down again?" 

"I-yes." Astrid lowers herself into the chair, her heart thundering in her chest. Laughs echo in the classroom and she suddenly realizes they are laughing _at_ _her._ She feels helpless with the new situation. "I-I'm sorry. I- It won't happen again." 

She absolutely hates the round of giggles and snickers that follow her words, she hates it more than she can describe. Trying to ignore them, Astrid fixes her eyes on the opened notebook on her desk and purses her lips, angry at herself. She let curiosity – that's all it was, right? – get the best of her; it could not happen again. 

Refusing to spare another glance towards the window, Astrid began to take notes. 

* * *

He doesn't know quite how he ends up in front of the red-brick building. 

He is, however, perfectly aware how pathetic he must look and how desperate he is in that exact moment. 

The doors feel much heavier than he remembers and he struggles with them for an embarrassingly long amount of time. His right wing hits the doorframe and he winces, feeling the pain shoot up all the way to his back. He doesn't understand how it works, how the wings could become such a seamless part of him in just a short moment, how he can feel them the way he does. Part of him is intrigued by them, wanting to know how and why – despite himself he's fascinated with the way they move and react. But just as he reaches for them, he is reminded why they are there in the first place. 

He enters the library with a heavy heart. The room is dimlit and Hiccup covers his nose with the sleeve of his shirt, grimacing at the stench inside. He briefly wonders whether the wings came with more sensitive senses, or if Mildew had just forgotten that there were windows in the building. 

Hiccup looks warily around but the old librarian is nowhere to be found; for the first time in perhaps ever he's not lurking by his favorite desk right at the entrance. It's unusually quiet, too quiet, and Hiccup begins to question himself. He doesn't know what pushed him to come here, but he just thought… Shaking his head, he takes a few steps further into the gloomy room, searching for any signs of the gruff man. Rows of tall wooden bookshelves divide the huge hall into narrow corridors, their shadows looming over the future haunts of potential readers. There's something unsettling about them that he can't fully explain. 

His eyes narrow as he struggles to see better into the murky darkness that surrouns him. Just as he thinks he might see a bland shape move, it disappears again, and a shiver travels down his back. The feeling of being observed doesn't leave him and he starts inching back towards the door. He doesn't feel… safe, comfortable there. Just as his hand finds the doorknob, something crashes a few feet away from him. A tall, thin man emerges, an ugly smirk on his face and familiar bare wings sticking out of his back. 

"I had a feeling you'd come." 

**TBC**

 **Thank you so much for all the feedback!**

 **Guest reviews (from the earliest to the latest):**

 **Guest 1:** _Isn't this a tad bit… extreme? At heart, I believe in happy endings, at least in my stories. ;)_

 **Guest 2:** _Personally, I wouldn't go as far, but I took your review into consideration and I think that the changes I made while rehearsing the first two chapters should, hopefully, change your mind on that. :)_

 **Thank you for the reviews! I hope I didn't miss anyone – if I did, so sorry for that, I'm a bit all over the place with this right now.**

 **Till next time!**

 **~InsertACreativeNameHere**


	4. Misarticulated

**Huge thanks to** **residentmotherhen** **. :D**

 **(Desktop version highly advised!)  
**

 **(Warning: mild language)  
**

 **CHAPTER 4**

 **MISARTICULATED**

"I had a feeling you'd come." 

A high-pitched yelp escapes Hiccup before he can stifle it and something changes in the old man's expression. The muscles at the corner of his mouth lift just slightly at the boy's wide eyes, barely visibly in the darkness, in what could be considered a beginning of a smile. It's gone as soon as it appears and Mildew hunches his shoulder, sullen again. 

"H-how, um," Hiccup clears his throat in a poor attempt to save what little is left of his dignity. "How did you, uh, know?" 

The old librarian comes closer, his lithe body a mere shadow in the darkness that surrounds them. He flips on the lamp over his desk and the bulb buzzes a little before coming to life. Hiccup winces at the sudden bright light. Mildew grimaces as well, moving his scruffy jaw the way he always does when he is displeased. His bare wings are somehow more apparent than ever before, at least to Hiccup, and he can't take his eyes off them. 

"Haven't yer father ever told ya it's rude to stare?" The gruff voice startles him from his thoughts and he quickly lowers his head in embarrassment. He can hear Mildew moving around, his uneven steps shuffling as he draws closer to the teen. As Hiccup dares to look up, he sees the librarian sliding into his favorite chair by the desk. He doesn't miss the way the bare wings stick awkwardly out, making them appear even scarier, more obvious than before. His eyes dart away to focus on the random sheep photo placed by the computer instead. 

"I think everyone has heard about what happened by now," Mildew replies casually, smacking his lips. Hiccup feels his muscles stiffening at the nonchalant tone, irritation quickly building up inside him. His fists clench by his sides before he registers it. The old man grimaces again as he observes the teen from the corner of his eye. His hand goes to grab a pair of old, dirty glasses from the desk. "Are ye gonna take a seat, or just stand there like an idiot?" 

Hiccup's eyes widen in surprise and he quickly looks around. He leans to grab a nearby chair; it falls as he attempts to pull it towards the librarian and he curses the way his hands shake. Mildew looks less than amused as he observes the embarrassing struggle. Once finally seated, Hiccup lays his hands in his lap awkwardly, his leg bobbing up and down. The rhythmic thudding sound punctures the uncomfortable silence of the old building. 

"Ask." 

"What?" Hiccup looks at the man in surprise. He can see Mildew's patience is already wearing thin as his expression hardens. "Ask what?" 

"Isn't it why ye came 'ere?" He yanks his glasses off again to rub at them with the hem of his shirt. The ragged piece of clothing is not much cleaner, numerous stains splotched across the whole thing, and Hiccup scrunches up his nose in mild disgust. "To ask 'bout the wings?" 

"I- well-" Mildew's words catch him off guard and he doesn't know what to say. "I don't really…know why I came." 

"Teenagers these days," the librarian snorts with a shake of his head, his oddly cut beard and mustache flailing around as he does so. "You never seem to know what yer doing or why." 

Hiccup's brow furrows as his fists balls up on his lap. 

"This..." he stands up slowly with a shake of his head. "This is – I don't know why I came." The chair staggers back and he catches it in the last second, cheeks flaring again with embarrassment. He trips over something, a black cable he hadn't noticed, on his way out. The darkness of the room weighs down on him more than he can handle and he just needs to leave. It was stupid to come here in the first place. He doesn't know what he expected to come from this irregular visit. He shivers as his fingers circle the cold doorknob. 

"You care 'bout 'er." Hiccup tenses and straightens, turning to face Mildew once again. 

"What?" The old man wears an unreadable expression. Apparently done with the glasses, he throws them carelessly back onto the desktop, and Hiccup briefly wonders what the point even was of "cleaning" them. Mildew moves his jaw impatiently and smacks his lips again. 

"That's why ye came 'ere." Hiccup takes a few steps back towards the desk and his abandoned chair. Something changes in Mildew's expression. His face is somehow softer, his eyebrows drawn lower as his gaze drops. 

"I…I don't know what I should do," Hiccup screws his eyes shut as he whispers out his answer. He leans on the wall beside him, feeling what little strength he had left leaving him. 

"Tell 'er." It's so simple and straight to the point that Hiccup almost feels offended. Silence falls between them as he scowls down at his shoes. The sound of the buzzing lightbulb turns obnoxious and Hiccup turns to glare at the little dusty lamp on the desk. Mildew shifts in his chair a little but he's clearly miles away, lost in his own world. 

"I-I can't, I can't do that," Hiccup finally answers after a longer pause. His hands slide up his face to grip his disheveled hair. 

"And why is tha'?" The harsh tone makes him glance at the older man. The teen wonders whether he meant for it to sound so rough or if it was more out of habit than anything else. 

He opens his mouth to retort, to inform the gruff old man how insane an idea that is, that it could never work, that it would destroy all of what is still left between him and Astrid. But, it starts to occur to him just how much truth there really is in the blunt statement. The wings are already on his back, and he needs to believe that they were given to him for a reason. As much as Astrid's reaction hurt him, she sought him out later, and if he was willing to admit it she had looked just as lost as he felt. Even if she were to turn him down... He needs to tell her how he feels. She deserves that. 

The truth is, the way he feels when he is around her – it's indescribable. He doesn't need the wings to feel as though he's soaring high in the sky when she is near him. Her smile is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen and her melodic laugh always brightens his day in a way nothing else can. He loves the way her eyes shine when she's happy, the way she rolls her eyes dryly when he tells her a particularly bad joke, or the way her nose scrunches up when something annoys her. He's known it all for quite some time now, but it wasn't until now that he truly realizes what it means - or that he's allowed himself to admit it. 

He would do anything for her. It's as simple as that; no hesitance, no questions asked. 

"I need to go," he quickly says, still in a daze as he pulls away from the wall. It has to be his imagination playing tricks on him but he swears Mildew smiles at him as he staggers out of the building. He shields his eyes as he exits the library, squinting painfully as he accustoms to the bright sunshine. He breathes out. He has one more class left for the day; he shakes his head, squaring his shoulders as he decides to take a walk away from the beckoning school building, and soon off the schoolground itself. He needs to think some things through. 

It occurs to him that Mildew never actually told him what happened. A part of him is glad; perhaps it's better it stays a mystery. 

Hiccup stumbles through the small city of Berk, not paying much attention to the few people that stare at him. Light rain scatters the streets and the cold wind, a regular companion on Berk, has pushed most people to stay in their warm, cozy houses. The village is peaceful and mostly empty at this hour and Hiccup finds it calming. He pauses as he walks past the local florist's shop in a poorer part of the town. The red roses displayed proudly in the window call to him and he dares to smile. 

Astrid would like those. 

* * *

Astrid Hofferson takes her time as she makes her way back home. She knows that she will be swarmed with questions from her parents the moment she steps foot into the Hofferson household, just as she had been the day before. She doesn't feel strong enough to face them at that exact moment. 

She doesn't feel strong anymore. It weighs her down. 

She thought she knew who she was, thought she could handle anything and everything that could be thrown at her. But this… this was so unexpected. 

Gray clouds cover the sky completely and she clutches her coat closer to herself, the cold wind causing her to shiver. She rubs her arms as she passes different stores and old-fashioned houses built in a traditional Berk way, and she's thankful that the rain has at least lessened to a light mist. Some rainwater drips down from the steep roofs and she does her best to avoid the puddles that on the raddled pavement. Cars drive past every now and then and she has to avoid being soaked by the cold water from the dirty street. That's the last thing she needs right now. 

Just as she passes the old, battered building of the local florist's, muffled voices from behind one of the buildings catch her attention. She comes to a halt, worry shyly nestling in her chest. Something at the back of her mind is screaming at her, and she doesn't understand why. She turns towards the dark alley between an old bar that recently went bankrupt and an already-closed second-hand shop. The wind howls but she can still hear some sort of commotion coming from the passage. 

The voices are still too distant for her to understand what exactly is going on but the tone suggests a fight of sorts. She swallows and pauses in the middle of the street. Brawls and violence are not anything uncommon in that part of the town and the rational side of her tries to convince her to just let it go. 

But she can't. 

Something, _something_ , pushes her towards that dank alley, a force that she can't seem to fight or argue with. Slowly, tentatively, she takes a few more steps towards the voices. She jumps slightly when a loud clang echoes around, as if metal hit metal with a lot of force. She slides across the wall of the second-hand shop, her palm running along the cold, dampened bricks. The wind eases some once she steps further, the space closed-off and sheltered with buildings on two sides, and Astrid tilts her head to the side, trying to catch something. 

"-op," a weak sound is followed by a wounded yelp and her heart squeezes with unease as she is struck with familiarity. She can't place it exactly but she feels, she _knows_ , she needs to find out what is happening. Her hand dives into her jeans' front pocket, checking whether her phone was in easy reach. She pulls it out and grips it tightly, her nails digging themselves into the plastic case. As she takes another step further, her boot lands on something softer. A plastic wrap crackles under her shoe and she looks down with a racing heart. Her eyes land on a bouquet of flowers, beautiful red roses, thrown carelessly into a puddle of putrid water and now sadly torn. 

"No!" The phone falls out of her hand with a clatter when she hears it. Thousands of thoughts cross her mind but in the end it's only one word, a name, that repeats itself over and over again in panic. 

Hiccup. 

_Hiccup_! 

_**Hiccup**_! 

Flowers and phone completely forgotten, she sprints towards the back of the old bar. Cold water from the puddles soak her shoes and the ends of her jeans as she runs but she pays no mind to it, only one thought in her head and one alone. 

"Where's your soulmate now, huh?" A breathless voice reaches her from just behind the corner, followed by a huff and another pained yelp. "I bet she's somewhere out there right now, being fu-" 

"HICCUP!" The two men, or rather, a man and a boy, gathered at the back of the dirty building look up at her, surprise clear on each of their faces. The older of the two, tall and scraggy in build, grimaces at the sight of her. His dilated pupils and absent look alarms her and she automatically reaches for her phone only to find the pocket empty. She briefly notices the flash of fear crossing the other boy's young face before she begins to search for her Hiccup, her wide eyes flickering from side to side in frenzy. She finds him between the doors with a broken-out glass and a rusty dark-blue garbage container as he lays with his legs sprawled out and wings soiled from the mud and disgusting rainwater. 

Her stomach turns at the awful odor coming from the leaking sewer pipes and the container. The alley's walls are covered with the crudest of graffiti that look as if a drunk ten-year old with a filthy mouth had drawn them in a hurry. A tattered rat flits right underfoot as she crosses the small distance between her and Hiccup. 

"Hiccup," she repeats his name, this time much softer as she kneels beside him. She crouches to meet him eye to eye. He squints at her with a dazed look and she fights the urge to pull him into her arms. He would be safer that way; she would protect him. 

"Astrid?" He questions, his eyes slowly widening with realization. She opens her mouth to respond when she hears someone walking up to the two of them. Her muscles tense and she straightens. 

"Hey, hot shot, what do you think you're doing, huh?" The druggie calls out and her fists clench as she stands and turns his way. The man has an unsettling smirk spread uglily across his acne-covered face. Astrid presses her lips into a thin line and clenches her jaw. He notices and his smirk grows with unexplained, sick satisfaction. "Why don't you-" 

Astrid doesn't wait a second longer and her fist collides with his face. She hears a " _crack_ " indicating she has probably broken his nose but she feels no guilt connected to it whatsoever. Her nostrils flair and she growls as the repulsive beanpole falls to the ground quite ungracefully. She shoots the younger of the pair a menacing look and he turns his head to look around nervously. 

"Bitch!" the druggie wails on the ground as he clutches his bleeding nose. The boy takes a hesitant step back, his brown eyes on his companion, drug dealer, probably, or maybe older brother. Before Astrid can do anything, the boy darts out of the dark alley the same way she came in a short moment ago. She growls but doesn't follow him, not when the other one is still here and Hiccup is still in potential danger. 

"Sven, you fuckface!" The man manages to stand up shakily. Swaying to the sides, he lifts his hand and uses the hem of his grimy sweatshirt to dab at the bleeding. His focus turns to Astrid again. Her heartbeat speeds up further when she sees the crazy look on his face. 

"Who the hell do you think you are?" he growls out, moving her way. From the corner of her eye, she notices Hiccup's poor attempt at standing up. He ends up falling to the ground again, banging his head on the old pipe that runs horizontally across the wall and clutching at it with a long groan. She doesn't feel strong in that alley, so close to the person clearly under the influence. Fear grips at her heart but she does her best to not let it show and stands tall instead. This is her chance. 

"I would leave," Astrid takes some pride in the fact her voice doesn't tremble as she speaks. She sees some hesitance in the bloodshot eyes of the druggie. She realizes then that the man before her is a coward. That he, too, is afraid, but, as opposed to her, he is not as good at hiding it. Her hand ghosts over her empty pocket. "Unless you want me to call the police." 

His eyes widen, a flicker of realization in them, before narrowing. He studies her for a short moment before stumbling a few steps closer to the passage that "Sven" escaped down not long ago. The thin man glances back at Hiccup shortly. He clearly decides the "brief squabble" is not worth a conflict with the police because he spits on the ground angrily. 

"This time," he snarls before giving Astrid a somewhat hungry look. "You're lucky I don't have the time for shit like that right now, princess." 

Astrid glares daggers at his back as he stumbles away. His nose is still bleeding profusely but a smirk makes its way back on his face. She tries to ignore the cold feeling that washes over her and rushes back towards Hiccup instead. He looks slightly better, somewhat more aware of his surroundings than before and she lets out a quick breath of relief. She can see a beginning of a bruise on the side of his face. 

"Son of a half-troll, rat-eating, piece of dragon-" 

"Astrid?" Hiccup uses his right hand to awkwardly prop himself up and her face softens when she looks at him. "Why- What are you doing here?" 

His hand slips on the wet pavement. The wings bump into the pipe behind him and he winces. Astrid reaches to help him steady himself and his face reddens at the contact. 

"Not that, not that I don't want you here. Because I do. A lot. I mean, uh, how did you, how did you find me?" 

"I was just- I heard them and you and-" Astrid trails off uncertainly. It's impossible to explain, she realizes. She doesn't fully understand what pushed her to come to the alley. It's something beyond her comprehension, something that only gods themselves can understand. 

She sticks her hand out, choosing to let it go in order to ask him with sincere concern, "Are you okay?" 

Hiccup looks from her, to her, then observes her outstretched hand for a moment longer before finally taking it, allowing Astrid to pull him up towards her. He, however, turns out to be lighter than she originally thought, and he stumbles forward with the extra speed. He grips her arms to stop them from falling over, bringing them both breathtakingly close to one another, their noses almost touching. 

"I-uh." Hiccup stutters out, his eyes meeting hers for a brief second. 

"Let me-" Astrid starts weakly, trying to untangle them. "Just-" 

"I- oh, right." When they finally manage to pull apart, Astrid tucks back a loose strand of hair and coughs into her hand awkwardly. 

"So.." 

" _So_." 

"Thank you for-uh for saving me out there." Hiccup's quiet words make Astrid's head shoot up. Saving, Hiccup said. She has saved him. A warm feeling passes through her whole body, and she can't help the brief smile that stretches over her face, despite knowing how silly it is. It fades once she dares to look at him again. His face, swollen from the hits and red from, she assumes, the biting cold, is turned the other way as he desperately avoids eye contact. The wings are a mixture of brown and gray and she has to stop herself from reaching for them. 

"I'm sorry." The words tumble out of her mouth rushed and messy. He turns to her abruptly, still dazed and clearly surprised upon hearing her words. 

"Wh-What?" 

"I'm sorry for leaving you there after… after it all happened." She says it all in one breath, feeling as though a great weight has been lifted from her shoulders. "I got scared. It was overwhelming. And unexpected. And I-" Hiccup's brows soften and he stares at her with his lips parted. Astrid closes her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts. "I… I wasn't as brave as I thought myself to be." 

"You're the bravest person I know." He immediately contradicts her and her heart swells as she hears him say that. She feels like she is soaring; she feels weightless. Even, even though she knows that what he is saying is not true. 

"Hiccup-" 

"I'm serious." He sounds so sincere that part of her starts to believe it, wants to. He shakes his head a little. "I'm the coward. Y-you wanted to talk… but I run away. I guess…" he cuts himself off before he, in his mind, would say too much. But she wants to know, she needs to know. Her hand goes to his chin, drawing him to look at her. She is busy searching his face, trying to find the answers that he is not willing to give by himself. 

"Are you going to turn me down now?" He asks it barely audibly and she freezes. 

"What?" 

"Because I know I've been a complete idiot, and it's completely understandable if you do- _owwww_." 

Hiccup's hands fly to grab his stomach. Astrid restrains herself from punching him again. 

"You moron!" she sputters out. She can't help herself and her fist collides with his upper arm, albeit with a little less force because of his ordeal. "Why would I turn you down?" 

"W-well, I-" Hiccup starts, but Astrid doesn't let him, cutting him off instantly. 

"Do you seriously think I would be running around the school to try and hunt you down for the last couple of days just to… _to turn you down_?!" She raises her voice, focusing on one thing only. 

"I-" 

"You know, for someone so smart, you can be a complete and utter twit sometimes, Hiccup. I cannot beli-" 

Something warm and light is pressed against her lips, successfully shutting her up, and it takes her a few seconds to realize Hiccup is kissing her. Or at least trying to. Their noses bump into each other awkwardly. She can feel his hand on her right upper arm as he clumsily stabilizes himself. His lips barely graze hers, kissing her in the most innocent and unexperienced way possible. That doesn't stop an electrifying streak from rushing through her body. She can't even respond to that bold move, because Hiccup pulls away. 

"…You kissed me," Is all she can blurt out, completely breathless. Astrid still can't really comprehend what happened. She isn't even sure it actually _did_ happen. Hiccup's face doesn't look normal with the unnatural red coloring, and yet she fears he is going to faint. 

"I'm so sorry!" The words tumble out of his mouth in a rush. One of his hands starts flying into the air, while the other grips the back of his hair. "I-I don't know what, what came over me. I'm, uh, I…" As he trails off, he finally dares to look at her. She stares at him in return, and brings her fingers to her lips. His brows crease in worry. "A-Astrid?" 

"You kissed me." She can see him swallow nervously. Her blue eyes catch the sight of his thin lips and she fights the temptation to grab the front of his shirt and kiss him. Properly this time. 

Maybe she will. 

"I've never been kissed before," she says instead, and the realization of what she that means hits her when she sees the surprised and abashed look on his face. 

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean…" He cuts himself off awkwardly, trying to explain his behavior somehow. "Th-this was my first, too." 

"I gathered that." Astrid clamps a hand over her mouth the moment the words escape, regretting ever saying anything at all. 

"Whe- What is that supposed to, uh, to mean?" She recognizes the challenge in his voice as small and inconspicuous as it seems. He observes her warily, but he doesn't look to be overly hurt by what she so stupidly blurted out. Astrid dares to say there is even a teasing glint in his wide green eyes. 

"Your lips should actually touch mine, you know." Astrid takes up the unspoken challenge, feeling more comfortable with a sudden sense of familiarity. This Hiccup reminds her more of the one that used to make her laugh all the time, not so long ago. 

"They- they did!" Hiccup exclaims as he throws his hands into the air to make it more dramatic. "Like you could do any better..." 

This is what she has been waiting for. All of the previous hesitance gone, or at least forgotten for the time being, she marches his way and plants a solid kiss on his lips. He lets out a surprised yelp, but it doesn't take him long to register what is happening. The thrill of the first kiss is nothing compared to what she feels now. Her whole body is on fire and her heart does a weird flip when she feels Hiccup's lanky arms enveloping her in a hug. It's a completely new sensation, albeit not unwelcome. Her palms move up his shoulders, deepening the kiss. She freezes when her fingers touch something rough on her way up. 

Wings; she had completely forgotten about them. It's a ridiculous thought – to forget about the thing responsible for the whole mess – and she breaks the kiss to look at them. They still have a sick look about them, but the orange luminescence coming from the sunset make them seem more alive and she can't think of anything as equally captivating. She reaches to actually touch them for the first time but Hiccup goes rigid, covering her hand with his before she can. 

"They're not that impressive," he whispers softly, trying to take her attention off them. 

"No, Hiccup..." Astrid shakes her head, her voice just as quiet and gentle. "They're beautiful." 

He lets go of her hand and she runs her fingers through the feathers. Hiccup stiffens further, his shoulders going extremely tense. The feathers are sharper to touch than she thought they would be, but she assumes it's connected to the sickly gray color. They amaze and intrigue her nonetheless. The whole thing feels stupid to her all of a sudden. And to think that no more than a week ago everything was completely different. She would have never thought… 

"This is all so dumb." She sighs as she pulls away. Hiccup quirks one of his eyebrows at her, waiting for her to elaborate. " Why don't we just… start over?" 

"Start over… what exactly?" He sounds worried, and she bites the inside of her cheek. She doesn't know how to explain what she has in mind. Words…. Why do you need words? 

"Would you consider not-going to prom with me?" 

"What?" Hiccup's voice echoes. Astrid curses herself and her inability to voice her thoughts properly yet again. The left side of his mouth turns upwards shyly, almost unnoticeably. "I thought you had to go." 

"They," Astrid pauses to look at him. His eyes don't leave her face, a hopeful gaze thrown her way. A small, shy smile forms on her lips as she hugs herself. "They will survive without me, I'm sure." 

Hiccup grins at her, his uneven teeth out in all their glory. He still looks a bit uncertain, hesitant, as if Astrid were to escape him any second. Or that it would be him that would be doing the escaping. But she is not going anywhere, and neithrt is he. They share a look, a mutual understanding of sorts, and she knows they will make it work somehow. She feels as though a great weight has been finally lifted from her shoulders. 

"I'd be honored." His hand goes to grip her own, slowly and unsurely. She hangs onto it, squeezing it lightly. Maybe it's her eyes deceiving her but she swears the wings look better already. Hiccup's smile falters and he bits his lip, clearly in deep thought. 

"What's wrong?" Astrid tilts her head slightly, taking a closer look at him. His green eyes shoot to her briefly. 

"Promise me something?" Astrid nods without any hesitation, eyes locked on him. "I don't want this to... change – " He pauses, sheepishly rubbing his neck with his other hand as he tries to gather his thoughts. "What I'm trying to say is… we're still us, right? I'm still me and, and you're still you." He frowns. "That doesn't make sense, does it?" 

She laughs for the first time in the last few days. It's quiet and soft, and it makes her feel much better. 

"I think I know what you mean." She smiles at him gently and he returns the gesture. "Small steps." 

"Small steps," he repeats quietly with a nod and leans in for another kiss. They meet halfway this time. She smiles into the kiss, finding it no more thrilling than the last two. Something brushes by her soaked boots and she pulls away with a gasp. A rat - she swears it's the same one as before - darts by and slinks under the garbage container. Astrid glances at Hiccup and their eyes meet. She can't really say why, perhaps out of relief, but she bursts out laughing. Hiccup  
soon follows. 

It's the most beautiful thing she has ever heard. 

* * *

"Daddy, how did you get the wings?" 

The first thing that Hiccup hears in response to that is a loud, obnoxious snort to his left. He turns around to face his wife. Astrid is taking an innocent sip of her tea but he can see clear amusement sparkling in her bright blue eyes. When he raises his eyebrow at her, she only laughs into her cup, her hand casually resting on her stomach. He grins at her in response, in love with the sound of her beautiful voice. 

He is glad they can laugh about it now, even though, at the time, it was far from a laughing matter to them. He wants to believe they matured and came stronger out of it, learning to trust and listen to each other rather than try to face it on their own. He wishes he could go back in time and whack his younger self for being too self-conscious and stubborn, sparing him the, as it turned out, completely unnecessary heartbreak. 

"Daaaddy," he feels someone tugging at his right wing. The feathers, now beautifully healthy and pearly white, are something he is proud of. His smile widens as he looks over his shoulder to watch his, _their_ , beautiful daughter. Her blue eyes, so like her mother's, shine with hope, and she doesn't wait long before pulling him down into a chair and climbing onto her dad's lap, the five year old's favorite spot. Hiccup places a gentle hand on the small of her back and the girl snuggles in, resting her head on his chest as she gazes up at him eagerly. 

"Okay, okay," Hiccup laughs and his eyes meet Astrid's. There had been a mutual understanding between them ever since. His wife smiles softly and nods in silence, encouraging him. He grin widens as he looks at her. 

His Hero. 

**THE END**

 **It's done, finally! I hope you enjoyed it! :D**

 **Guest review:**

 **Guest:** _No, this is most definitely not a rewrite or an adopted story. The only thing that I can think of is my Tumblr where I also posted the story. :D I hope this is what you are referring to. ;)_

 **Till next time!**

 **~InsertACreativeNameHere**


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